Brief case



S. H. LIFTONl May 3o, 1939.

BRIEF CASE Original Filed July 5l, 1935 INVENTOR weer ATTORN EY Patented May 30, 1939 BRIEF CASE Samuel H. Lifton, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 31,

1935, Serial No. 34,077

Renewed September 10, 1938 4 Claims.

The subject matter of this invention is a functionally and structurally improved brief case comprising front and rear walls appropriately connected to a gusset carrying a plurality of partitions to form several llongitudinally disposed article receiving compartments.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel brief case in which marginal portions of the front' and rear Walls are appropriately reinforced by a strengthening resilient substantially U shaped member permitting the walls of the case to retain their normal flat shape.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved brief case embodying spaced front and rear walls having their edges reinforced to resist wear by utilizing the marginal portions of each of tne walls each to enclose and sustain a resilient member defining with respective marginal portions peripheral beads enhancing the appearance of the case.

It is another object of the. invention to provide a brief case characterized by spaced front and rear walls each having a reinforced perlpheral bead comprising corners appropriately strengthened by independently secured elbows. y

It is a further object of the invention to provide a, rugged brief case of the character described which will stand up under considerable usage and rough handling, which is practical from the standpoint of construction and which may be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Other objects, features and advantages are in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the present invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the brief case according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the front wall of the brief case before marginal portions thereof are folded over the reinforcing member.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the inner face of the front wall illustrating the reinforcing member secured in position.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top view of the brief case showing the ap in a closed position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an elbow utilized to reinforce the corners of the case.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line I--l of Fig. l, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional View on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

As illustrated, the brief case generally denoted I0 includes spaced front and 'rear Walls II and I2 interconnected by a closed bottom bellows or gusset I3 to form a compartment I4 divided into a plurality of sub-compartments I5 by longitudinally arranged partitions I6. Walls II and I2 together with the intervening gusset form an article holding Ienvelope of pandible type.

the well known eX- Walls II and I2 may be of a relative heavy leather or of any desired suitable material.

According to the invention, the front and rear walls are suitably reinforc for two reasons. First, to

ed and strengthened provide a relatively rugged construction to withstand considerable use and secondly to provide a brief caseadapted to retain its general flat appearance.

To this end, a U shaped resilient bar or member I'I of metal rhaving a rectangular cross section is placed along the side and the front Wall II after whi lower margins I3 of ch these margins are folded or stretched over contiguous parts of the bar and adhesively secured wall II.

to the inner face of In other words, the side and lower marginal portions of the front wall II together with the enclosed U shaped bar constitute a reinforcing peripheral bead I9 to of the wall II.

strengthen the edges Having folded the marginal portions I8 over the reinforcing bar and adhesively secured the former to the inner face of wall II, the outer surface of the latter is appropriately creased along line 20 to present the marginal outside face 2| in front of the body of the Wall II to enhance the appearance thereof.

Rear wall I2 is similarly reinforced and strengthened but an upper portion thereof which extends above the elevation of the front wall and gusset, constitutes a nated 22.

flap generally desig- A longitudinally disposed fiat and resilient strip 23 of metal is appropriately enclosed in a pocket defined by the inner face of flap 22 and a longitudinally arranged flexible strip of leather1 24 sewed to the flap, and appropriately attached to reinforcing strip 23 is a pair of brackets 24',

each carrying yokes 25 swingably supporting handle 26.

inforced edge 29.

Attached to flap 22 and front wall II is a pair of complementary conveniently Y disconnectible locking members 30 and 3l for holding the flap in a closed position. Suitable straps as 32 are appropriately attached to the front and rear walls of the case and constitute supplementary fastening means.

Portion 33 of the ap above exible strip 24 constitutes the top wall of the case when the flap is closed. flap just above the gusset has a length greater than the length of the front and rear walls connected to the gusset. ginal portions 36 of the flap extend beyond the sides of the gusset and overhang the latter, and accordingly tend to keep particlesof liquid striking top wall 33 from entering compartment Ui.

The lower marginal portions of the front and rear walls have their corner portions removed to form bevels dening miter joints 3% when folded over the reinforcing bar Il.

Having processed the frontv and rear walls in accordance` with the steps hereinbefore outlined, the lower corners of the front and rear walls and the corners of the flap are each provided with a reinforcing elbow generally indicated 3l. elbow is a one piece member having a C-shaped cross section adapted to conveniently fit over a corner defined by the walls of the case. Subsequently each elbow is appropriately pressed against the reinforced and embossed marginal beads, it being noted that the diverging arms 38 and 39 of each elbow includes a pair of opposing and spaced flanges all and il to each of which is integrally connected a ange or segment d2, adapted to frictionally engage opposing sides of an associated wall of the case and also constitute means for further enhancing the appearance thereof.

Before applying the elbows, however, the front and rear walls of the case are sewed to the front and rear walls of the gusset For example, front wall H is sewed by the line of stitching 43 to the front portion of gusset I3 while the rear part of the latter is secured to the rear wall'lZ by the line of stitching Ml, the lines of stitching being placed along or adjacent the crease lines 20 to closely pass the beaded portion of the walls about their respective reinforcing members. In the same fashion, a line of stitching l5 is applied to the flap for closely surrounding the beaded portion thereof about its reinforcing member.

In the broader aspects of the invention, I do not desire to be understood as limiting its embodiments to details herein shown illustratively as a wide variety of modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

It will be noted that the part of the i' In other words, the mar- Each 1. In a brief case, the combination of, spaced front and rear iiexible walls each comprising side and lower marginal portions, a reinforcing member arranged adjacent said marginal portions of each of said walls, said marginal portions of each of said walls comprising parts folded over contiguous portions of an associated member and secured to the inner face of its respective wall, said folded over portions and a respective member constituting expanded reinforced beaded means extending along sides and lower edges of associated walls, and a closed bottom gusset interconnecting said walls.

2; In a brief case, the combination of, flexible front and rear spaced walls each having side and lower marginal portions, a U shaped reinforcing resilient member arranged adjacent said marginal portions of each of said walls, each of said marginal portions comprising parts folded inwardly over contiguous portions of an associated member and secured to the inner face of its respective wall, said folded over portions of each wall closely encompassing an associated member and dening therewith reinforced beaded means constituting marginal edges of its respective wall, and a closed bottom gusset connected to corresponding parts of said walls secured `to respective inner faces thereof.

3. In a brief case, the combination of, spaced Vfront and rear flexible walls each comprising side and lower marginal portions, a reinforcing resilient U shaped member having a rectangular cross section arranged adjacent said marginal portion of each of said walls, said marginal portion of each of said walls comprising parts folded inwardly over contiguous parts of an associated member and'secured to an inner face of its respective wall, said folded over portion and a respective member constituting reinforced beaded means extending along the side and lower edges of an associated wall, and a closed bottom gusset interconnecting said walls, said rear wall having a swingable fiap having marginal portions overhanging the sides of said gusset.

4. A collapsible hand-bag, such as a brief case, comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a gusseted bellows structure of exible material joining said panels and thus closing expansibly three sides of the bag, the material of said panels throughout the peripheral edges of the bag being folded inwardly upon themselves so as to present outwardly an unbroken and uninterrupted smooth border edge, within which the adjoining edge of the bellows structure overlies, and is secured to, the infolded panel edge, throughout the border of the bag.

SAMUEL I-I. LIFTON. 

